Shower heads



March 14, 1961 J. o. HRUBY, JR

SHOWER HEADS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1958 J 0 N W wnm/m/ March14, 1961 J. o. HRUBY, JR 2,974,877

SHOWER HEADS Filed Oct. 13, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 II Ga 5.

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March 14, 1961 J. o. HRUBY, JR 2,974,877

SHOWER HEADS Filed Oct. 13, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 II G01I0 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent C SHOWER HEADS John O. Hruby, Jr., Burbank, Calif.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rain Jet Corporation, Burbank,Califi, a corporation Filed Oct. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 766,802

8 Claims. (Cl. 239-237) This invention relates generally to showerheads, and more particularly to a shower head having a fluid dischargingstem which is rotatable in the head.

Shower heads of this invention, when adapted to spray water as in ashower stall, provide as the water discharging element thereof a stemhaving outlet orifices directed generally axially from the head, thestem being mounted for rotation whereby the streams of water emittedfrom the stem orifices move about throughout the shower, thus to avoidthe disadvantages in prior shower heads which produce steadily directedjet streams.

. A preferred embodiment of the shower heads of the invention comprisesa stem which gyrates around in the,

body of the shower head, with the stem being inclined with respect tothe axis of the body, and which rotates on its axis as explained inLetters Patent of the United States No. 2,639,191, issued to me on May19, 1953.

Rotary stems of the gyratory type as described in said Letters Patentare pivoted along a transverse plane or cylindrical area intermediatethe ends of the stern whereby the path traced by the stem in beinggyrated is that of a three-dimensional graph known as a hyperboloid ofone sheet. In being so gyrated, the stem is caused to roll along an edgein the body at which the stem is pivoted thus to impart rotation to thestem on its axis. With gyratory motion of the stem superimposed uponrotary motion thereof, the streams of water emitted from the stem arenot solid streams but instead are broken up in drops, and such broken upstreams move about throughout the shower.

For optimum results it is further preferred that the shower heads ofthis invention be constructed to embody certain concepts taught in myco-pending applications Nos. 660,002 and 710,989, filed May 17, 1957 andJannary 24, 1958, respectively, the latter having issued on on October20, 1 959, as Patent No. 2,909,326. In each of the fluid dischargedevices of said copending application, the stem is disposed within anopen cavity formed or defined by wall means in a body of the device.When this concept is embodied in the shower heads of this invention, theshower heads will provide showers of relatively low gallonage, i.e.,gallons per minute per square foot of shower cross-section.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear during thecourse of the following part of this specification wherein the detailsof construction and mode of operation of several embodiments of theinvention are described with reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of a shower head ofthis invention with the forward end portion of the body of the showerhead being shown in central longitudinal section; v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the forward endportion of the shower head shown in Fig. 1; v 1

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is acentral longitudinal section through another preferred embodiment of ashower head of this invention; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section takenon line 6--6 5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the forwardend portion of the shower head shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal section through another embodiment of ashower head of this invention;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section taken on hne 1010 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the forwardend portion of the shower head shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 12 is a cross-section taken along line 1212 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, and with the use ofreference numerals, there is shown in Figs.

1-4 a shower head of this invention, the same being designated generallyby numeral 15. The shower head comprises a tubular body 16 which isscrew-threaded around its upper end as at 17 to receive a socket nut 18which serves to hold the body 16 on a socket ball 19. An annular gasket20 (see Fig. 5) in the upper end of they body serves to seal the jointagainst leakage. The socket ball has an internally threaded boss 21integral therewith for receiving the end of a water supply pipe 22. Theball and socket joint provides for angular adjustment of the body as iscustomary for shower heads. As appears best in Fig. 5, the socket has apassageway 23 formed therein and extending therethrough for flow ofwater from the pipe to the shower head body.

At the forward end of the tubular body 16, opposite the socket receivingend, the body is internally screwthreaded as at 26 for receiving a cap27, the cap having an inwardly directed annular flange 28 in the forwarda central opening 30 arranged axially of the body.

A tubular stem 33 extends into the body through the body opening 30. Thestem projects out from the open stem against outward removal through thebody opening.

As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the stem gyrates aroundwithin the body with its axis being inclined with respect to the axis ofthe body. To better tion of the stem on its axis, the end shoulder 37 ofthe collar which engages the inside shoulder of the body is of convexspherical section while the annular shoulder 29 of the body is ofcomplementary spherical section. This arrangement provides aball-and-socket joint, permitting the gyration and rotation of thetubular stem while preventing the leakage of water through the opening30.

The inner endportion of the stem is designated by reference numeral 40and it contains an inlet opening 41 for the stem. The bore of the stemis defined by inside walls 42' of the stem. 8

Referring again to the stem head 34 of the illustrated embodiments, suchhead is of larger diameter than the body opening 30 and is fixed uponthe outer end of the stem. The head has a plurality of outlet orificesformed therein. An axially aligned orifice is designated by refendthereof defining an inside annular shoulder 29 and accommodate suchgyratory motion of the stem and rota erence numeral 44. The head 34 alsocomprises four additional orifices 45 which are inclined outwardly fromthe axis of the stern. t

For the shower heads of this invention, it is intended that the severalstreams of water formed by the orifices will spread slightly outwardly,that is, in effect, the crosssectionalarea of the shower increasesforwardly from the shower head. For the purpose of distinguishing theshower heads of this invention from lawn sprinklers, for example, as areillustrated and described in the aforesaid Letters Patent and saidpending patent applications, wherein the stemoutlet orifices aredirected generally radially outwardly from the stem, the orifices 45 ofthe shower headsof this invention are said to be so constructed that thestreams of water emitted therefrom will be directed not more than about30 from the axis of the stem. A preferred extent of inclination of theorifices 45 from the axis of the stem is about from to about i.e., theyare directed generally axially from the stem. The term generallyaxiallyas used in this description and in the appended claims isintended to the streams of water from the orifices 45 move not only inrespective circles around the axis of the stem due to rotation of thestem on its axis, but also swing outwardly from the axis of the showerhead body due to the inclination of the stem as it is gyrated around inthe tube cavity. Such combined motions of rotation and gyrationsuperimposed one upon the other cause the streams of water from theorifices to be broken up asvdiscrete drops which move about in theresulting shower whereby the concen tration of drops in any crosssection through the shower issubstantially uniform throughout the areaof such crosssection.

From the'above, it will be apparentthat the sprinkler heads illustratedin Figs. l-4 of. the drawings embodies certain structural conceptstaught in my aforesaid pending application Ser. No. 660,002. Thestructure hereinabove described which causes water from the shower headbody 16 to enter the cavity 53 through slant opendefine an endwisedirection of the streams, thereby to distinguish such direction for thestreams of water from the outward direction of streams of water from alawn sprinkler in which it is desired to cover a large lawn area aroundthe sprinkler body.

The shower heads of this invention comprise means within the shower headbody and operatively associated with the stem for actuation by flow offluid in the body to impart rotation to the stem on its axis. Such meansfor imparting rotation to the stem may be any of a variety ofstructures. For example, such wall means may be similar in constructionto the perforated partition 11 shown in U.S. Letters Patent No.2,589,942. For the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 of this specification,such wall means comprises an elongate tube 49 secured at one end thereofwithin the cap 27 as by screw threads 50, while the other end of thetube 49 is closed as with a plate 51 which is force-fitted orotherwisesuitably secured in the inner end of the tube. The side walls of thetube 49 on the inside thereof are designated by reference numeral 52 andthese walls define a cavity 53 in the tube 49 which receives the innerend of the stem 33. Around the inner end portion 40 of the stem there isa collar 55 which is force-fitted or otherwise suitably secured aroundthe stem. Collar 55 contacts with the inside walls 52 of the tube 49 andserves to, in effect, increase the outside diameter of the end of thestem 33, thereby to reduce the extent of inclination of the stern in thetube 49.

There is a plurality of circumferentially arranged apertures 56 formedthrough the side wall of the tube 49 for admitting water from the body16 into the tube cavity 53. In the embodiment of Figs. l4,sthe aperturesare formed asslits which extend longitudinally with respect to the tube49. As best shown in Fig. 4 these slits extend through the tube sidewall at angles with respect to the radii of the tube cavity, thus tocause streams of water to enter the cavity and spiral or rotate aroundin the tube cavity. The slits 56 are preferably tangential with respectto the tube cavity 53 and in the illustrated embodiment are four innumber. The swirl of water in the tube cavity resulting from the slantof the slits 56 causes the stem 33 to revolve or gyrate within the tubecavity with the axis of the stern being inclined with respect to theaxis of the tube cavity as appears best in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

In operation, water from the body enters the tube cavity 53 through theslant slits 56 and swirls around in the tube cavity. The water withinthe tube cavity enters the inlet opening 41 of the stem and flowsthrough the stem bore and out through the orifices 44 and 45. The swirl.of water in-the tube 49 causes the stem to gyrate in the tube cavity andas the collar 55 contacts the inside walls of the tube 49 the stem iscaused by rolling of the collaralong said, inside wall to rotate on itsaxis. Thus ings or apertures 5s and then to flow out through the stem 33produces a relatively low gallonage spray when compared to a rotary andgyratable stem structure such as is illustrated in the aforesaid PatentNo. 2,639,191 in which the inlet for the stem is located so as toreceive water directly from the tubular body 16, that is, without suchwater having first passed through inclined apertures such as those shownat 56 herein.

An outer sleeve 59 is provided for the purpose of restricting thecross-sectional area of the shower produced by the plurality of orifices45. Such outer sleeve is slidable axially over the body 16- and isprovided with a screw 69 eugageable in a longitudinal extending groove61 formed in the body whereby the sleeve may be set at a desiredextended position over the forward end of the nozzle.

Rotation and gyration of the stemin the shower head produces some noiseand for the purpose of reducing the amount of noise attendant with theoperation of the shower head the collars 36 and 55 as well as the head34 may be formed of plastics, e.g., nylon, and bonded around the bodyportion of the stem.

Another preferred form of a shower head of this invention having a waterdischarging stem which is both gyratable in the body and rotatable onits axis, is shown in the drawing in Figs. 5-8 inclusive, the same beingdesignated, generally, by reference'numeral 65. Shower head 65 comprisesa ball and socket joint 18, 9, a tubular body 16, a cap 27, and a stem33' which are generally similar to corresponding elements of the showerhead shown in Figs. l-4.

The wall means of the shower head 65 which serves to impart rotarymotion to fluid passing through the head for the purpose of gyrating thestem 33 is somewhat similar in general form to the tube 49 of theembodiment shown in Figs. 1-4. Such wall means comprises a tube in theshower head 65 designated by reference numeral 66. The essential portionof the tube 66 for imparting rotary motion to the stem- 33' is the innerend portion of K the tube, such inner end portion being designated 'byreference numeral 67, and in effect constituting a cup which receivesthe inlet end of the stem 33. Cup 67 has'inside cylindrical walls 68 andan end plate defining an open ended cavity 53 in the cup. That portionof the i tube 66 which is disposed forwardly of the cup 67 servesapertures 56 of theembodiment 15, in that the openings 70 are notslanted with respect to the radii of the tube .66,

as is the case of the apertures 56 but instead the openings 70 may be ofany size and may extend radially through the side walls of the tube 66,It will be noted that the cup 67 embodies the structural concepts taughtin the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 710,989 (Patent No.2,909,326) wherein it is explained that the nature of the forces ofwater which causes gyration oi the stem may not be fully understood. Itis suggested that inasmuch as the rim 69 of the cup 67 is disposedforwardly of the inlet end 41' of the stem 33, the inward flow of waterinto the cup from over the cup rim and the change in direction of flowof water to forwardly into the stem may cause the gyration of the stem.

Referring to Figs. 9-12 of the drawings there is shown anotherembodiment of a shower head of this invention, the same being designatedgenerally by reference numeral 75. It comprisesaball and socket joint atthe upper end of a hollow body 16", the body having a cap 27", and astem 76, the stern being rotatable on its long axis. The shower head 75diiiers essentially from shower heads 15 and 65 described hereinabove bythe fact that the stem 76 of shower head 75 does not gyrate around inthe body but instead only rotates on its axis.

Shower head 75 comprises a tube 77 which is secured at its forward endwithin the cap 27 and extends coaxially in the tubular body 16".

There is a sleeve 78 secured in the forward end of the tube to define aninwardly facing shoulder 79. At its inner end the tube 77 mounts aspider 80 having a plurality of inlet openings or apertures 81 and acentrally disposed hub 82 which serves to rotatably support the stem 76.There is a stop or collar 36" fixed around the stem for engagement withthe shoulder 79 of sleeve 78 to maintain the stem against removal outthrough the and opening 30 of the body cap. The stem has a plurality ofinlet openings 41" formed in that portion of the stem which is disposedin the body.

The inner end of the stem extends beyond the hub 82 and is closed by endplate 84. Secured around the inner end of the stem is a plurality ofimpeller vanes 85 which impart rotation to the stem when water flowsforwardly through the shower head body.

While the instant invention has been shown and described hereinas whatis conceived to be several embodiments thereof, it is recognizedthat'departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention,which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein,but it is to be accorded the full scope of the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a shower head of the class wherein a hollow shower head bodyhaving a fluid inlet end and an outer end is connected at its inlet endto a swivel joint, the joint being adapted to be connected on the end ofa fluid supply pipe and having a passageway extending therethrough forflow of fluid from the pipe through the joint and into the body, thecombination with said body of an elongate tubular stem, the body havingan annular shoulder defining an outer end opening, the internal surfaceof said shoulder being of concave spherical contour, the stem extendinginto the body opening and having an inner end portion disposed in thebody and an outer end portion disposed beyond the body opening, the stembeing rotatable on its long axis in said body opening, the stem havingan inlet opening formed in said inner end portion, stop means on thestem having a surface of convex spherical contour abutting the internalsurface of said shoulder for maintaining the stem against outwardremoval through said body opening and preventing the leakage of waterthrough said body opening, means in the body and operatively associatedwith the stern for actuation by flow of fluid in the body to impartrotation to the stem on its axis, and the outer end of the stem having'an outlet orifice formed therein directed generally axially from theouter end of the stem, said orifice being directed off center from theaxis of the stem.

2. The shower head of claim 1 in which said rotation imparting meanscomprises wall means secured in the body and defining a cavity withinthe body, the inner end of the stem extending into the cavity and theinlet opening of the stem being disposed in said cavity, said wall meanshaving an inlet opening for admitting fluid from the body into thecavity for imparting rotary motion to the fluid in the cavity thereby tocause rotation of the stem on its axis and gyration of the stem aroundin the cavity.

3. The shower head of claim 2 in which said inlet openingof said wallmeans is inclined with respect to the axis of the stem.

4. The shower head of claim 2 in which said wall means comprises a tubesecured at one end thereof to the body adjacent the body shoulder, thetube being axially aligned with said body opening and having its sidewalls spaced inwardly from the inside walls of the body, the other endof the tube being closed.

5. The shower head of claim 2 in which said Wall means comprises a cup,means supporting the cup spaced inwardly of the body shoulder, the cuphaving a rim defining said inlet opening of said wall means. 6. A showerhead according to claim 1 in which said outlet orifice is inclined to anangle of about 10 from the axis of the stem.

7. A shower head according to claim 1 and comprising an outer sleeveslidable axially around the body for deflecting the stream of water fromthe outlet orifice to a shower of smaller cross section.

8. A shower head according to claim 1 in which the swivel jointcomprises a ball and socket joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,919,246 Munz July 25, 1933 2,539,793 Pangborn Ian. 30, 1951 2,639,191Hruby May 19, 1953 2,663,591 Pew Dec. 22, 1953 2,746,795 Kofoid May 22,1956 2,850,328 Young .l Sept. 2, 1958 2,909,326 I-Iruby Oct. 20, 1959

